Cast Bullet Benchrest

Viper:

Cast bullet shooting, as others have mentioned, is a frustrating endeavor and is to be avoided by any rational person.

However, I have had some success with the .308 Win cartridge and cast bullets. In particular, a tight neck (.340") chamber, Lilja 1-10" barrel with a .299" bore mounted on a Borden built Teddy Heavy Varmint. Bullets were Lyman 311291 (modified) weighing 169 gr., sized .311" and moly coated. Load was 21.0 Rx 7. Lapua brass, of course.

John

CastBulletGroup2.jpg
 
It'll drive you crazy

I can second what John writes above.
For every group I'd shoot like the one he shows, I'd shoot another one about twice as big or maybe 3/4 to an inch.

Its very frustrating but you can tinker forever with bullet hardness, sizing, bump the noses, alter the mold shape or dimensions. Which is kinda fun because there are so many things to try that you don't have to spend a bunch of money on.

If you are inclined to like tinkering with loading techniques you can fool with cast bullets from now on. And sometimes you'll figure something out.
 
Alloy

Hi Mike. I only use Linotype for BR competition. I don't quench or hard temper the CBs at all. I tried water dropping out of the mould, but the harder CBs in the bore-ride design were harder to engave into the lands and it made flyers in my groups. Linotype is good for 2,200fps in a custom barrel. In our Military Rifle matches with the light barrels, I use Lymans' #2 Alloy or a lot of guys use 1/2 Wheel Weights 1/2 Linotype and keep the velocties and recoil down with 1,600fps loads.

Ya, frustration part of the game. The wind has a major factor. The CBA 100yd matches using CBs is like the jacketed NBSRA competition at 200yds. You really got to watch the wind. Then using CBs at 200yds can get really harry, with a 10-15+mph gust taking you off the target somtimes:eek:............Wingnut
 
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John that is an impressive 100yd group with cast or any bullets.
What is the weight of pull on your trigger on the custom .308?
mine is heavy around 3lbs still shoots good though.

Wingnut good load information.

I've learned alot but I have located what I think is the cause of a consistancy
issue that perplexes me maybe someone with more experience here could suggest something that would help or remedy:

Only round with this trouble evidently my rifle with factory chamber has a large neck in the chamber.

I have RCBS FL Sizer and Seater and a Lee Collet Die.

Use mostly Winchester brass because it is softer and thinner than Fed or Rem. Thought maybe the thick neck of Fed or Rem was causing the problem
but its also my Winchester cases.

I Use the RCBS sizer like a shoulder bump body die w/o decapper stem
then size with Lee Collet when the die work properly.

Tried std FL sizer with decapper regular and partial FL Size and my other approach.

Problem Neck tension non consistant. Every once is awhile a case has no neck tension and the bullet falls inside the case during seating.

Should I try new dies? maybe a standard neck sizer in .308 ?

This is the only cartridge I ever had this problem with and I've loaded for at least 10 yrs 22-250 .223rem .243Win 6.8SPC 300Savage 250 Savage 9mm
45acp 32auto etc.

Whats the secret ?
 
is the lee collect actually sizing the neck ?

i have heard this comment before...and the answer was always one of two.

one:the die was not set correct/used correct.....check your set up. ( measure the neck before and after)
and
two: the die is not compatable with what you are attempting....you may need a smaller mandrel (in the die)to get the sizing you want.

mike
 
Why two different sizers?

"I Use the RCBS sizer like a shoulder bump body die w/o decapper stem
then size with Lee Collet when the die work properly."

If you're full length sizing there should be plenty of neck tension. (more likely too much) What did you use the Lee die for after you sized with the RCBS full length die?

RCBS used to make stepped expander dies in .001 diameters. They were handy for getting cast bullets seated without scraping the bullets. Kinda like a straight wall pistol die expander.
 
They also made a neck flaring tool which I preferred because it made it easier to true the neck again after seating.
 
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The Lee Collet Die Cap stripped out of the body last night had to replace the mandrel and collet before. Think its time to try a regular neck sizer.

Have to Process my .243 using FL Sizer Redding as a Body sizer then neck size to Fit a single shot rifle such as the Thompson Encore the NEF Marlin EAB Co or the Ruger #1. Other wise can't set headspace correctly on the brass so the rifle will close and shoot consistantly .
 
DaRealViper said:
The Lee Collet Die Cap stripped out of the body last night had to replace the mandrel and collet before.
Click to expand...

I've had similar issues myself & it turned out that I had the die run too far into my Rockchucker & was using too much leverage to do the job. Since I backed off the die, lubed the cone surfaces to prevent galling & only used the recommended poundage on the lever, it's been a delight to use & way ahead of the next best option.

The big indicator is that if you start to mark or flatten the bottom of the collet female when you run the press up, the die is set in way too far.

I used the mandrels of the two dies I destroyed to give me differing tensions by polishing them down different amounts in my drill press using 600 & 1000 wet & dry.
 
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I have been keeping an eye on this post. Back in 1957 I went to my first match at a a place called Chatham, about 50 miles from where I live and as a spectator watched a black powder benchrest match watching these guys with barrels that had to be 3 and 4 inches in diameter with false muzzles and loading cast bullets. Now I know this is different then what you are discussing here, but still interesting.
 
DaReal
I took my one and only Lee collet neck sizer die and pitched it as far as I could. Made me feel real good to get rid of that frustration to try to get consistant neck sizing and tension. Anything 'adjustable' like that has no place in BR criteria. Anyway, I use a Redding S-die neck size bushing to get a perfectly consistant .002" - .003" neck tension on the CBs. I have 3 I use in .002" incements, .334, .336, .338. I use the .334 and .336 for most all of my 30cal. shooting. My 308 Redding die also works for the 30-30, 30-40 Krag and 30-06. Watch you don't seat out too far and push the cb back into the neck cause they'll push back at slighly different depths and cause high and low shot groups, 2high, 3low.

The Lyman M-die expands and flares the neck for CBs, but it is an extra step not necessary and only work hardens the brass. The S-die bushing is the best thing to happen in reloading in a real long time. It does not over work the brass and gets you the correct neck tension for any brass/bullet combination..............Wingnut
 
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With Dial Calipers, Measured the inside diameter on the brass causing problems it is .001 Larger in Diameter than the other cases Neither the FL Sizer nor the Lee Collet die will size the neck enough to obtain tension to fit the outer diameter of the bullets snugly.

The Bushing type sizer would correct the tension on this brass.

As $ allow, I will try one of these. Thanks for the information.
 
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